For the past 5 years I’ve been blogging, first from Shanghai and then from Singapore. Today it’s time to say Goodbye!

I want to thank you all for following me, reading my posts and all your comments. This journey’s been amazing and I’ve enjoyed every moment. As you know I’m moving back to Finland in June, so only 4 months to go. Yay! I’m really looking forward to go back to Finland. I miss my home, my friends, my family and most of all I miss Finland.

I absolutely enjoyed living in Singapore and we are taking so many good memories with us. I experienced here so many new things, travelled to the most amazing places, met many interesting people and made some good friends, for lifetime I hope. However now it’s time to pack our bags and head back home.

Like this:

On Christmas Eve we flew from New Zealand to Sydney. I know many people are dying to visit Australia but I must say Australia has never been on my “must visit” list. However as we were now close to Australia we decided to stopover in Sydney. And how was it. My verdict: OK. Nothing overly great and to be honest Sydney is waaaaay overpriced and actually quite boring city in my taste. I know Australia has also much nicer places than Sydney and a scenery elsewhere is beautiful. But…it’s still lacking the feeling and the scenery New Zealand has. So between New Zealand and Australia I would definitely choose New Zealand. But we did visit Sydney so here are some things we did and experienced in Sydney.

Bondi Beach is an iconic stretch of fine sand and curling waves and one of the world’s most famous beach destinations. Picnics and fish and chips on the beach are popular or dine out at one of the vibrant cafés and bars overlooking the beach on Campbell Parade and in nearby streets.

Like this:

As you’ve already noticed, nature in New Zealand is truly amazing. It’s the place where you can experience mountains, ancient forests, volcanic landscapes and stunning coastline. There are many nice areas around Queenstown where you can get even closer to nature. Here’s the places we visited.

Arrowtown is located only 20 minutes’ drive from Queenstown. The town has maintained its rich heritage and historic buildings and now has many restaurants, shops and attractions. Some of the ‘must-dos’ in Arrowtown include visiting the historic Chinese miners village, now stone ruins but once a thriving settlement.

New Zealand has become a prime location for film scouts. The scenes for movies likeThe Lord of the Rings, Narnia andThe Last Samurai are filmed in New Zealand. Close to Queenstown is a little rustic town, Glenorchy which is known as the “Gateway to Paradise”. Many say that the drive from Queenstown to Glenorchy is the most beautiful road trip in NZ and one of the best in the world. On our way to Glenorchy and Paradise the clouds were very low. It almost felt like the sky was falling. So mystical and unreal.

Glenorchyis a true outdoor enthusiast’s paradise. Some of New Zealand’s best hiking trails can be accessed from here, like Mount Aspiring National Park Around 20km on from the tiny town of Glenorchy is a place called Paradise. Some say it was christened for its natural charms, others for the paradise ducks that live in the area. Nobody can say for sure how it got its name, but the one thing people agree on is its breathtaking beauty. I must agree with everybody else. The scenery is a breathtaking all the way to the Paradise.

Named for Mt Aspiring, one of New Zealand’s highest peaks, this park is a dreamland of mountains, glaciers, river valleys and alpine lakes. A hiker’s paradise, Mount Aspiring National Parkoffers a large number of short walks that are mostly concentrated at the end of the park’s access roads. The Mount Aspiring National Park presents a breathtaking range of landscapes.

Milford Soundis a fiord in the south west of New Zealand’s South Island. It has been judged the world’s top travel destination in an international survey in 2008 and is acclaimed as New Zealand’s most famous tourist destination. It is also called The Eighth Wonder of the World. From Queenstown you need to take the State 94 Highway that climbs through the Southern Alps, taking you to heights of 940m above sea level. I guarantee you have a chance to enjoy the best scenery the Fiordland National Park has to offer. It takes approximately four hours to drive from Queenstown to Milford Sound. We left at 7am and arrived to Milford Sound around 11.30. It’s a long way but definitely worth it!

Milford Sound is a breathtaking in any weather, the fiord’s cliffs rise vertically from the dark waters, mountain peaks scrape the sky and waterfalls cascade downwards from as high as 1000 metres. When it rains in Milford Sound, and it often does, those waterfalls multiply with magnificent effect. Boat cruises, during the day or overnight, are an excellent way to experience the Milford Sound.

You may also consider to visit Doubtful Sound which is in the far south west of New Zealand. It is located in the same region as the smaller but more famous and accessible Milford Sound. It took second place after Milford Sound as New Zealand’s most famous tourism destination. At 42 kilometres (26 mi) long, Doubtful Sound is the longest, and with a depth of up to 421 metres (1,381 ft) also the deepest of the South Island’s fiords. In comparison with Milford Sound, it is more widespread, with the cliffs not as dramatically tall and near vertical. Like most of Fiordland, Doubtful Sound receives a high amount of rainfall, ranging from an annual average of 3,000–6,000 millimetres (120–240 in). With no direct road access, the only way you can to get to Doubtful Sound is by a cruise across Lake Manapouri and a coach trip over Wilmot Pass, so not really an easy task to get there.

So there you have it. Our holiday posts from New Zealand. I must say this trip was one of the best we’ve ever done. I LOVED IT, I LOVED IT!! I truly wish I can visit New Zealand one day again. There’s just so much to see and do. I absolutely fell in love with this country. So if anyone of you is considering to visit New Zealand my message to you is: GO, you won’t be disappointed!